Quality assessment and vascular disease: the analytic imperatives confronting vascular surgeons in the new era

Vascular Surgery is poised at the edge of a rare moment in medical care. Energy, intelligence, innovation, and resources are available to improve greatly the methods of vascular disease correction. Precedent exists for the overzealous application of technologies. Poor study design and inadequate tracking of outcomes can dilute the value, discredit a critical therapy, and undermine proper patient selection. The proper analysis of our new technologies will be obtained only through well-organized studies, information systems, and informed organizational oversight. Our analysis must extend beyond procedure-specific outcomes to include quality of life issues measured in a validated and relevant fashion. The present and future of vascular disease therapeutics must reside under the control of those who have devoted their lives to its theory and practice.